The Influence of the Home Food Environment on the Eating Behaviors, Family Meals, and Academic Achievement of Adolescents in Schools in the UAE

Rahab Sohail, Hayder Hasan, Roba Saqan, Asmaa Barakji, Aisha Khan, Faaiza Sadiq, Shouq Furany, Zaina AlShaikh, Omar Atef Abdelhamid Mahmoud and Hadia Radwan ()
Additional contact information
Rahab Sohail: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Hayder Hasan: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Roba Saqan: Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Asmaa Barakji: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Aisha Khan: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Faaiza Sadiq: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Shouq Furany: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Zaina AlShaikh: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates
Omar Atef Abdelhamid Mahmoud: Lilehei Heart Institute, Cardiovascular Division, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Hadia Radwan: Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Science, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates

IJERPH, 2024, vol. 21, issue 9, 1-13

Abstract: The eating behavior (EB) and habits developed during adolescence tend to persist into adulthood, with parents and caregivers playing a significant role in shaping their children’s food choices. The home environment is a crucial setting for developing eating behavior during adolescence. This study aimed to explore the influence of the home food environment (HFE) and its correlates on EB, family meals (FMs), and academic achievement among adolescents in schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 304 school-aged adolescents from the UAE. The questionnaire included sociodemographic data, dietary habits, information related to the HFE (food availability and accessibility), physical activity, sleep patterns, and academic achievement. Several questionnaire items were combined to create an HFE score. These questions included the frequency of weekly family meals, meal preparation practices, and accessibility to healthy and unhealthy food products and snacks at home. The HFE score was dichotomized into favorable and unfavorable HFE scores. Similarly, EB and FM scores were generated by combining responses to various related questions. The participants’ weights and heights were measured. The findings reported that more than half (55%) of the adolescents were either overweight or obese. The majority of the participants had favorable HFE (57.2%), EB (69.1%), and FM scores (58.2%). The significant correlates to the HFE were as follows: male participants whose parents attended college (OR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.15–0.62; p < 0.001), high academic achievers (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.02–3.82; p = 0.043), and those who were physically active (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.14-2.85; p = 0.012), were more likely to have favorable HFE. Moreover, the HFE score showed a highly significant positive correlation with the EB score (r = 0.573, p < 0.001) and the FM score (r = 0.384, p < 0.001). These results underscore the critical role of a healthy HFE in shaping healthy positive eating behaviors and food choices among adolescents. They provide a foundation for developing effective, evidence-based policies that can impact the health and academic success of adolescents in the UAE.

Keywords: adolescents; home food environment; eating behaviors; academic achievement; family meals; UAE (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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